Seed-germinator.



v E. E. MARSHALL.

SEED GERMINATOE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13, 1913.

1,1 30,7 52. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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IN VEN TOR A llarney ELMER E. MARSHALL, OF ERIE, KANSAS.

SEED-GERMINATOR.

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed March 13, 1913. Serial No. 754,084.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER E. MARSHALL, a citizentof the United States, residing at Erie, in thecounty of Neosho and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seed-Germinators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved seed germinator and to an apparatus for promoting the growth of sprouts, and the object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means utilizing a moist bottom heat, wherewith, even under .unfavorable exterior conditions, the ordinary farmer or housewife may successfully propagate the growth of grains, vegetables and other plants, as well as test seeds when so desired.

A further object of the invention contemplates the provision of suitable means for uniformly distributing moisture throughout the several trays employed in connection with the invention, the moisture finally reaching a suitable receptacle in the form of a tank where it is collected until subsequently removed.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of an especially devised tray upon which grain or other plant sprouts may be placed for promoting the growth thereof.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claim which is appended hereto and forms part of this application.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which;

Figure 1, is a front elevation, with the cover partly raised, of a stand constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2, is a similar view with the cover closed, and the doors widely open, Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional View, certain of the trays being removed, Fig. 1, is a top plan view of one of the trays, partly broken away, Fig. 5, is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the trays, and Fig. 6, is a top plan view of the water tank or receptacle.

Proceeding now to the description of the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, the numeral 1 designates the base of an upright stand, having the usual sides 2 and back 3, the top 4 having an opening 5 formed therein, the purpose of which will described. The front of the stand is normally closed by means the upper and larger door 6 of which is hingedly connected as at 7 to one of the sides 2 of the stand and held or retained in closed position by means of suitable latch mechanism 8 provided therefor, while the smaller or lower door 9 is likewise hingedly connected as at 10 to the same side 2 of the stand, the said door 9 also being held in closed position by means of similar latch mechanism 11.

Upon the interior of the frame at each side thereof and spaced uniformly apart throughout the greater portion of the length of the stand, I provide a plurality of supporting strips 12, the strips upon each side of the stand being directlyopposite those upon the other for evenly supporting a plurality of trays, designated in their entirety by the numeral 13. Each tray is preferably composed of a substantially square metallic frame 14: having an inwardly projecting flange 15 formed upon the lower edge thereof, the said flange 15 extending inwardly from all sides of the tray and supporting thereupon a wire through which the water or moisture applied to the trays is free to drip. Upon the top of the wire mesh bottom 16 and entirely inclosed within the tray sides 14, a strip of coarse burlap or other absorbent material 17 is fitted, the said strip adapted to support the plant sprouts contained within the stand. By the provision of a tray constructed as above described, it will be seen that the moisture necessary to the growth of the plants is retained or absorbed by the strips 17 for thoroughly watering the sprouts resting thereupon, thereby greatly aiding and promoting the germination of the seeds. Any number of these trays may be employed in connection with the invention, provided sufficient space is left therebetween to allow unhampered growth of the sprouts supported thereby.

A door 18 is hingedly connected as at 19 to the top 4: of the stand, the said door whenraised, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, creating an open top by reason of a pair of doors,

mesh bottom 16,

be hereinafter fully of the Opening 5 to allow. watering of the sprouts or plants contained within the stand.

Supporting strips 20, duplicates of the strips 12, are spaced from the bottom 1 of the stand and disposed oppositely upon each side'thereof, the-said strips adapted to support a suitable water. tank or receptaele21 removably supported thereby for receiving and collecting the drippings and moisture as itfalls from the trays 13'disposed above. By theeprovision' of the Water receptacle 21, a spacenis leftbetween the bottom 1 and the said receptacle, within which a lamp or: otherheat. source 22 is adapted to fit,

thereby directing the heat upon the bottom of the receptacle, and facilitating and promoting the germination of the seedscontained within the stand.

The vlowerdoor 9 'is so arranged upon the stand side 2* as to allow the removal of the lamp 22 and the water receptacle or tank 213 without necessitating the opening'of the upper or larger door 6, thereby preventing GXPOSUIGQOIE the seeds to the exterior conditions or: the outside atmosphereoften injurious thereto. 7

Openings 23 may be provided through the doo1'49 for'supplying air to the interior ofthe heating'compartment. Anotheropening 'Q'L' is'provided-through the cover 18 to allow'the escape-of smoke that might otherwiselaccumulate'within the stand.

It will'be seen from the above, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that" a germinator constructed in accordance with this invention is extremely simplein' -oper'ation and inexpensive of manufactu-re' yth'at the sprouts contained within Copies of thisipatent may be obtained'for the stand are thoroughly watered and heated in the desired manner; and thatthe planting.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claim, sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A seed germinator comprising in combination; a casing having moist heat gen erating means in the lower portion thereof, a plurality-of perforated supporting trays positioned to closely fit the casing transversely thereof to close transmission of moist: heatilaterally of said trays, and devices for supporting said trays in superposed spaced relationabove said generating means thereby causing the moist heat to"suc-' cessively passthrough thecontents of the trays from the lowermost to the uppermost, the-said casing having an opening'above the uppermost tray, asandfor the purpose set forth 7 In testimonywhereof I. affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELM'ER E. MARSHALL. witnessesz; Y

' C. O. Boaz,

G. J BEARD;

five cents each, by addrssingathe cdmmissionersof Patents,

7 Washington,- D. G.

growth thereof-"is greatly promoted, thereby conditioning them for subsequent outdoor and without 

